Long Term Update 6: 2010 Hyundai Tucson

12 months and 21,345 miles

There are so many crossovers with a price tag of $25,000-$30,000 that what differentiates one from the rest of the pack is the features. At the Hyundai Tucson's price range, value is the factor that is most critical to a crossover's success. And the Hyundai Tucson has tons of 'em.

Our topline Limited AWD comes with enough goodies that one staffer, having not driven the Tucson for a while, logged, "When it comes to the cabin, this Tucson has everything! Heated seats, Bluetooth audio, power everything, satellite radio, nav system, rearview camera, huge sunroof. I kept finding myself thinking, 'Oh, yeah-it has that, too.'" The steering-wheel-mounted controls also received kudos; they're well-placed on the wheel, and the layout is nicely uncluttered. As digital integration director Mike Floyd noted, "This is a really nicely designed set of controls that have proven simple and effective and rest roughly at the 9 and 3 positions, making it easy for thumbs to reach and operate."

But that isn't the whole story. While it has plenty of features, when it comes to attention to detail, the Tucson leaves some editors wanting. There are complaints of road noise at freeway speeds, steering that's too lifeless, some poorly placed controls, and structural creaks when the Hyundai goes over speed bumps or enters driveways. There is definitely room for improvement, which is why we had mixed feelings about this long-termer. As copy editor Zach Gale explains, "This Tucson is impressive, considering the vehicle it replaces, but solid design carries this small SUV only so far." And considering how far this crossover has come in just two generations, we expect Hyundai will get the bugs out for the next one.